How To Play Steel Guitar

If you already know how to play a 6-string guitar, and you want to learn how to play steel guitar, you may want to know that there is a bit of difference. They are played differently as well as held differently. The steel guitar is placed in your lap facing you. The strings are raised, with the fretboard underneath the strings. And instead of pressing the strings to the fretboard, you are using a steel bar. The steel guitar is also tuned differently than the standard tuning of a 6-string acoustic guitar.

As I am not really able to give you lessons on how to play steel guitar here in this article, I can let you know a bit about the history. These great guitars were first invented and brought to fame in Hawaii. There is a legend that a schoolboy by the name of Joseph Kekuku discovered the sound of the steel guitar while he was walking next to a railroad track while strumming his 6-string guitar. He found a bolt lying on the ground next to the track and starting sliding the metal bolt along his guitar strings. He was so fascinated by the sound, that he taught himself to play this way while using the back of his knife blade.

There have been others who have also been a part of this great invention and that would be Gabriel Davion, who was an Indian sailor along with James Hoa who was of Hawaiian Portuguese heritage. The Hawaiian groups were big in the years from 1915 to 1930 beginning in San Francisco. It has since been picked up by country artists and been incorporated into the blues as well. Then it moved on it way into African music, Indian music, rock and even pop music.

You may be familiar with some of these famous steel guitar players, such as Speedy West, Roy Smeck, Jerry Byr, Soi Hoopli, and so many more. Learning how to play steel guitar will be something of great interest to not only you, but to everyone around you who are not really familiar with this type of instrument. You will be the hit of the party if you are able to use your talents, and get the music going.

How To Play The Guitar – Tip #1

Get yourself a good chord chart: A guitar chord book is your best friend! A basic and essential foundation for learning how to play the guitar is mastering how to play chords. Trying to memorize chords without the assistance of a guitar chord book is nearly impossible.

How To Play The Guitar – Tip #2

Change guitar strings with a plan: Replace, and tune, your strings one at a time, beginning with the thickest and working down to the thinnest. This will help to maintain a constant tension on your instrument, eliminating the need for your guitar to re-stabilize.

How To Play The Guitar – Tip #3

Practice and persistence are key: The true secret to becoming a good, or even great, guitar player is to be persistent in your efforts… and practice, practice, practice.